This month I sent some questions out to some alumni of different eras. The first one to get back to me was Heather Hinkle (Fernandez). She was one of two from her family to march with the corps. Her brother Ira was in the snare line from 1994-1996 and she played cymbals in 1996. Both are originally from Pensacola, FL, a town were many members came from over the years.

She is now a wife and mother of two kids living in Amarillo, TX.

And now, I give you Heather Hinkle.

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View her profile and say hi!  HERE.

The group of youngsters that made the south rise again twenty years ago have begun planning a special reunion to mark the occasion. In 1989, Dave Bryan resurrected Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps after a few years of careful planning, bringing the drum corps life back to Alabama.

Members of that edition of Southwind will get together this year on July 25th to see all the friends they toured with twenty years ago this summer. The reunion is scheduled to coincide with the DCI Southeastern Championship Show in Atlanta. Some of those who will be in attendance are Bryan Payne, Pete Perrone, Keshley Burns Phillips, Joe Fant and more.

To help with arrangements, get information on the how and where, or to just say hi, contact Keshley. The city will be Decatur, however the venue is still yet to be determined.

KESHLEY BURNS PHILLIPS! e: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it p: 404.307.9391

Congratulations are in order for our founding director, Michael Terry. He and his fiance Vita, recently tied the knot and became Husband and Wife. We wish them the best for many years to come.

For those that have yet to learn, Michael was a key player in making Southwind a reality in the first place. He has been around since the very begining back when Southwind was just a dream in the minds of some Montgomery-area youths who wanted a drum corps of their own right in their own city.

Be sure to send Michael your best wishes and congrats messages HERE.

Do any of you old geezers from 1990 remember this kid?

Well recently he has been making some pretty cool headlines of his own.

To the right is him today, posing with Paul Schaffer from the Late Show with David Letterman.

In 2007 he was nominated for and won a CMA Award for Song of the Year. 2008 came and he was nominated for THREE Grammy Awards. Also, He was a big hit on iTunes, as the #7 Album of the Year, #1 Country Album of the Year, and his single "In Color" was rated the #8 Best Overall Song and the #1 Best Country Song of 2008.

Tune in to NBC on February 5th to catch a live performance by Jamey. You can also catch it online the following week at NBC.com and HULU.com We will provide links as soon as its up.

We are closing the year with an interview with former Percussion Caption Head and Program Coordinator Jay McArthur. I found that doing these interviews are a great way to get the Story of Southwind told in an interesting multi-point of view way.

He agreed to answer some questions about his time with Southwind. He was more than happy to share his memories with the rest of us, and if you'd like to talk to the man himself he is registered here. Just click on this photo and see his profile.

Ladies and Gentleman, Jay McArthur.

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In my on-going mission to piece together the fragmented history of Southwind, I managed to come across former brass arranger Mart Avant. Newer people may not know the name but you certainly know his work if you ever wore the uniform.

He agreed to answer some questions about his time with Southwind as it gave him a chance to reflect on a great period in his life.

And now, I give you Mart Avant.

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